Admiral In Disguise
by Wicked R
Summary: Post AWE. Norrigton's new mission is to find Shipwreck City and eliminate the pirate breed from the inside out, starting at the top. But we all know he's not going to do that. AU of course, I could never bury such a character!
1. Chapter 1

Title: Admiral Disguise

Author: WickedRum

Disclaimer: I have no right to use these characters, Disney has.

Summary/Set: Post AWE. Norrigton's new mission is to find Shipwreck City and eliminate the pirate breed from the inside out, starting at the top. But we all know he's not going to do that. AU of course, I could never bury such a character!

Genre: Romance/Drama.

Rating: PG for satefy's sake, in case I do anything unplanned.

Pairing: a bit of this, a bit of that, you know how Elizabeth can't decide sometimes?

Admiral James Norrington, or better known over the last couple of years as Jim Ferguson, first mate on the Maurinho, second to and right hand of pirate lord Jocard stepped foot on land. He sometimes found it curious how easy it was for him to behave and be like a pirate. Killing other pirates, sailing, following and giving orders, just like the navy, with the added advantage of every man for himself after a certain point. There were some good people, some bad people just like everywhere. Jocard was a good example, sailing on instinct, there was a sense of freedom with him, his men were free to jump ship if they didn't like his command. Just like he would've wanted to command himself, if he would be a captain of a pirate ship once for some reason. With the similar attitude though, he had earned Jocard's trust and finally he was allowed to set foot on the most secret location in the world, Shipwreck Island. Walking up to the City he looked around in awe, he didn't expect it to be this big, this spectacular, vivacious, with lights shimmering everywhere as if by magic. Yet again, he had underestimated the pirates just like before, just like Cutler Beckett and that shouldn't happen again if he was to complete the mission he was assigned, to find and kill the pirate king, along with as many lords he could manage. Even amongst the secretive pirates who had not trusted a newcomer he quickly found out that the king would normally reside at Shipwreck Cove and he was curious about meeting him, not to mention of finishing with this business once and for all as he didn't like double crossing his mates. He doubted there was a castle, so he'll just have to mingle with people in the inn and he might find out the identity of the king there. It wasn't much to his surprise though that the inn wasn't too far from the harbor, he could see people staggering out from it already, it was only a row of houses that separated him from it. He glanced at them in the passing, with a clear view at the entrance of the cove they were clearly those of the families of pirates expecting loved ones back from sea. He was looking up towards his destination and it was like that, that he hardly missed a night pot being emptied out from one of those houses. "Addlepate wench!" He called out in well acquired pirate talk.

"Why don't you use your deadlights, tar!" Came the prompt and vibrant answer.

James wanted to put the woman right back to her place, he was supposed to be second in command on Jocard's ship after all, but all the words dried out in his throat.

Her eyes already smiling at him in recognition, it was Elizabeth. Despite her large protruding stomach that indicated her pregnancy was well advanced she ran down the few steps of the house and embraced him cordially. "You're alive!"

James held her for a long moment, just happy to have her. Neither the extent of his injuries back then or anything else in fact seemed enough important to break the welcoming embrace.

Elizabeth closed her eyes for the moment, tightly in the safety of his arms. They were telling of a different life, one that wasn't that daring, but was nevertheless blessed with security and love, both from her father and James. She looked up to trace his beloved face with her fingertips, then came back to reality. Somebody might see this unusual display of emotions from her. She stepped back one and looked him over now. His lean figure, his wig, his elegant clothes were gone and there was nothing that could've made him different from a pirate. "James?" She questioned him softly.

"Jim, for now," he let her know, "I'm incognito," he told her. He wasn't intending to keep much back from her if she asked, but it wasn't the time and place right now. Whether she would stop him from killing the pirate king, he didn't know, it probably depended on who it was, but it could have not been that Jack Sparrow of hers so he was probably safe to carry on. "Came with the Maurinho," he added so that it was a bit more clear. "What about you? I want to hear everything! What happened to you?" He asked genially, like a long lost friend.

"Maybe better in the house," she looked around and pulled him up the steps. You could never know which lot's interest was to keep an eye on the pirate king at any one time.

"Jack! Jack!" She riveted, "look who the tide brought in!"

The two men, nevertheless, were a lot less excited as such. Jack, leaning back casually on a chair by the table seemed to be playing with a knife, which he was ready, at any eventuality to throw at the intruder, James was sure of that. The admiral stepped back a tiny step, looking at Elizabeth half apologetically, half deploring. He didn't imagine it like this when she pulled him behind her. Yes, she was carrying somebody's child, he knew that, but to be faced by the most possible culprit under the circumstances right away in a revoltingly cute little family setting with the stove sizzling and a little boy drawing in the dust by it, was another thing. Not to mention Jack who he wished never to see again. "Maybe I should just..."

"No!" Elizabeth said forcefully and stepped in his way to the door, "not before we catch up, I didn't even get to thank you for what you've done for me. You're staying for dinner."

James looked at Jack. It wasn't for his approval, oh no, he would not look for such a contemptible thing, even if this seemed to be his house. He looked at him because of wanting to give him a grave look, letting him know he would stay, mostly just to annoy him.

Jack returned the stare and leaned back more, leaving the knife alone. Those eyes were a lot more dangerous.

Tbc


	2. Storm

Chapter 2: Storm

Dinner, seemingly served for James' sake only, was quiet and uneventful. Not much of the catching up mentioned has happened between Elizabeth and James and he was well surprised at the quality of the soup. Elizabeth and cooking? Of course, many things would've happened since they last met and since she always was so enamored by captain whacky there and went on the account for the sake of him, everything was possible. How amusing this little scene must be for Jack, he must be laughing on his account and not the first time either. Anytime he glanced at the pirate captain that certain look was there in his eyes, a little playful, a little dicey, but not too out in the open to be clearly provocative enough for him to draw his sword. Apart from that, Jack didn't seem to give him much consideration, he had the boy, William, the name was as he found out, on his lap now and was taking the bones out from the fish for the child. Of course Elizabeth would name the child after her first love and Jack wouldn't mind because Elizabeth was all his for the taking now as Will Turner was stabbed to death by Davvy Jones as he had heard from the pirate tales on Jocard's ship.

Elizabeth rose to put away the food, turning back from the door to the cupboard, "Jack...you should eat something too."

Jack raised a hand casually, "aft, me darlin."

Elizabeth stomped a foot angrily, "fine, fine. To L with all the food then, ei?" She stomped again.

"Will be good to feed the fish, eeeee?" Jack grinned at Elizabeth, "me proud beauty, aye?" He added looking at James, "can assure you, way too saucy fe a better half of a commodore."

"But not too pert for you, Jack?" Elizabeth came back from the cupboard to taunt him.

James fumbled with his spoon, taking a glance from time to time at Elizabeth or the other direction, at father and son. He didn't like what he saw. He could well image these two pulling each other's strings for eternity, it was lover's give-and-take at one level. And yet he saw so much more to it. Elizabeth, almost popping a child running around to please Jack in every way, even if talking back while Jack didn't bother to move a muscle. When the boy was finished eating, William ran and brought a sextant from somewhere, playing with it knowingly under Jack's instructions. In fact he hadn't moved the entire time, the boy always came to him. As nice the picture was, James had enough of it, "I'm off to the inn".

He was just about rising to leave, when Jack spoke, "Izzie, me love, dear house woman you are, not giving the traveler some rum?"

Elizabeth snorted and put a hand on her hips, "rum, huh?" She almost like growled, but didn't want to show her displeasure with Jack in front of her ex fiance. She stood up, "rum it is Jack Sparrow!" She gave him a grin, then set two cups and a bottle down in front of them, making a big noise with each. She filled them to the top, "food no, rum yes!" She banged the bottle back down on the table, not making such a good impression on James after all.

James however, at this point, didn't care. He needed the drink under the circumstances. He will sit down and toast with Jack till the bottle was no more. Then at night, when he's asleep, he will talk to Elizabeth the right way, the way he couldn't when Jack was around. It was obvious she was unhappy. All right, Sparrow might be out at sea most of the time, but this is no way to treat the governor's daughter. Elizabeth might of liked the impertinence in Jack when they met, he was so daring and different than the rest of them, but a good husband? James couldn't imagine that. Tonight, he will offer himself up for Elizabeth one more time, so she could escape this drunken maltreater of a sea rover once and for all. With him on her side she could start clean.

Tbc


	3. Bottle Out

Chapter 3: Fuddle

The bottle was gone, it was well gone, and the next one too. And however trained he had become on pirate ships holding his drink, James knew there was no more he could take. It wasn't a drinking match, he was clever enough not to get into anything like that with somebody called Captain Jack Sparrow and Jack was happy enough to pour more for himself than to James each time, given Elizabeth had stopped opposing. She had in fact disappeared in the other room, putting the child to bed and James felt like he could be sleeping too. Setting his head down on the table he watched as Elizabeth came back to the room and started scrubbing pans with her back to him. Unbelievable how low Jack made her go! No servants, no security for the tomorrow, not even another room, but those two! But he smiled at the sight before him now, maybe Jack couldn't hold his drink so well after all. The pirate stood, slowly, edging away holding on to the table. His legs buckled and James was looking forward to the joy of seeing him fall when...

"Jack, no!" Pregnant Elizabeth was by his side in an instant to hold him up, then pushed a chair under him, "sit, sit, come on, you can't go weak on me now!" She did manage to sit him down and he leaned his head to her side and closed his eyes, giving a small moan.

James lifted his head and gave hick up, revolted, "you're in no condition to haul him over to the bed! Think of your unborn child, Elizabeth!"

"So what? Are you going to give me a hand? Are you in any "condition"?"

"I don't see why we can't just leave him there," he despised taking care of the pirate, but more so, he wasn't so sure about those conditions.

"Because he needs to rest in bed!" Elizabeth cried exasperated. "I don't think it was such a good idea I got myself convinced by him to let him sit out there in the kitchen all day. Sitting up's already taken a toll on him."

James opened his eyes wide, uncomprehending. Was hard for Sparrow to what? Sit? His drunken hazy mind cogitated slowly while Elizabeth was touching Jack's cheek to check how he really was. Not eating, not walking, Elizabeth's anger with the situation and Jack's stubbornness and while he was here, and the Pearl was nowhere to be seen! How come that didn't occur to him before? He must've been too uneasy and engulfed in the not slashing out at Jack faze. "I'll help," he finally offered. Elizabeth needed it. He dizzily stood.

"He can sleep in the kitchen," Jack looked up at Elizabeth, meaning James, before grabbing a hold of the back of the chair and pulling himself up again, frightened by the possibility of being helped by the ex commodore out of all people.

Elizabeth draped herself around Jack nevertheless, guiding him through the door. She stepped back to it once more after laying Jack down and shutting it, "there are blankets in the cabinet, James." She knew he would stay, she knew he wanted to make sure she was all right. And it was that last look that he gave him that made her come out to him that night a couple of hours later, she also knew he wanted explanations. She watched him sleeping for a while, maybe she should leave it till later? He and Jack did drink a lot. She turned to put some more logs on the fire and a pot with water on the stove, Jack might need it later on.

"I don't understand," she heard James' approaching voice, "is your husband badly? Those noises coming out from there earlier on, they didn't sound good."

Elizabeth smiled embarrassed. Was James now worried about Jack for her sake? The situation, nevertheless was a bit funny, "you heard Jack. You think he is my husband?" Her eyes sparkled in amusement.

"What? So he didn't even have the decency to marry you and that with a child and another on the way!" James was grabbing for his sword in annoyance, a sort of gesture, although he wasn't going to use it, "how can you live like this Elizabeth? Up all day, all night just to attend to his needs? Has he no pity on you? Has he not gathered enough gold to pay for servants?"

Elizabeth opened her eyes wide, "first of all, Jack's so uninterested in gold he usually manages to get rid of it pretty soon after getting it, second, he is convalescent and therefore not able to do much, and third he is not my husband, because I did marry Will!"

"Oh, right, so it's not a sin, it's not adultery either, but a widow having her way, is it? Elizabeth I would never want to hurt you, I'm sorry, but what would you think your father would think of you just living with this man!"

"You completely misunderstand. Jack has never asked me to take care of him! He didn't even want me to know he was ill! Gibbs took his to the midwife, cause there's no doctors around here and I happened to be there too cause of the baby coming and all. I owe this to him for...things I've done to him and for what he does for me all the time. Instead of going on with his own business, he takes the Pearl to meet the Flying Dutchman where Will is captain, from time to time. How do you think I got pregnant and twice?"

"What? So you don't...? So you didn't...? But he's in your bed."

"Where should he be James? There's only was good enough bed in the house for a sick man like him."

"Where's the Pearl then?"

"Mr. Gibbs takes good care of it, he should be back soon, but I'm afraid Jack'll not be able to join them just yet."

"But...but you can't care for him. You're giving birth soon."

"A few weeks yet, James. Don't worry about me. William was born on the Pearl, right into Jack's versed arms, it won't be any different this time."

"Jack's versed what?"

"I wasn't be the first woman giving birth on the Pearl."

"Oh," James pulled back, sighing. Not that he wasn't happy she was capable, strong as ever, but she also didn't seem to need his help, which did, unlawfully, dishearten him. She still had her Will and she had her Jack in a way too. Well, she will just have to put up with his concerns for a while as well. He will be around, cause who knows how long it'll take him to find this pirate king. "Uhm...Elizabeth...how much does Jack tell you about politics?"

"Politics?! Is that why you're here? To spy?"

"I will not lie to you Elizabeth. Yes, this is my mission, so that I can get back to the same position in society where I was before Sparrow...before you...before all this!"

"And what is this mission? Steal the heart of the Captain of the Flying Dutchman?" She scoffed, "I shouldn't have told you about Will. He's not exactly high on your list, is he?"

"No, but you are. I'd never hurt you, do you not believe me?"

"I do, of course I do," she crossed the distance between them and hugged him in a similar fashion as when they met.

"As a sign of my truthfulness I will even tell you about my mission. I'm here to find and assassinate the pirate king."

Elizabeth pulled back, searching his face unbelieving, then burst out laughing, "you really don't know who the pirate king is do you?"

"Oh, bugger, I knew it had to do something with Sparrow," he continued to curse under his mouth, "some relative or something?"

Elizabeth continued laughing, "well, yes, you could say so. It has to do with him. Cause you see Jack as a pirate lord..."

"Jack a pirate lord?"

"Of the Caribbean seas, yes."

"The brazen earth vexing codpeice! I should've known, how else could he, the cockered dizzy eyed death token could be such a legend!"

Elizabeth laughed again, at the childish insults this time. It was always fun to have James and Jack around at the same time, that's for sure. "Khm. So Jack voted for me too and as a pirate lord I had the right to..."

Now it was James' turn to laugh, "right. And how did you get to be a pirate lord if I may ask? Jack voted for you?" He asked not believing one word.

"It's a long story, it was a chance thing, being around at the right place at the right time. Nevertheless I became pirate king and it was me who led the lords into battle against Cutler Beckett. Well, it was really Jack with the speech and the fighting Davvy Jones and all, but in name, it was me and you should bow before the king if you're a pirate, which you really aren't, so..."

"You're serious. Are how does a pirate king cook, and swipe and carry water?" He still didn't believe her.

"By giving my ship the Empress over to who it really belonged to. I claim not to keep my title either, it was just really important at that moment in time that we, I mean Jack has control over the others. If there's another election, I'll be gone, in fact I'll vote for Jack myself."

"You're serious," James repeated, face paling and realizing that she was in fact telling the truth. Killing the pirates off from the top, he didn't understand before how much of a bad idea that really was. What is he going to do now? His life in the navvy is really over if he doesn't deliver. But his life with Elizabeth might not be.

She was lifting the large pot, she shouldn't be. He ran to help her, carry it into the room for Jack, even if he didn't know what it was really for. And while helping her he suddenly saw clearly what he was going to do, what his purpose was. He will protect the pirate king from now on. He will go back to the Maurinho as first mate and come back here from time to time to check on her. She might really need his help one of these times and no matter that it would probably only be in the role of a friend, a good friend, he will help her. How could he ever doubt on which side his heart lied?

The End.


End file.
